Overview
- NOAA and Smithsonian researchers said Wednesday the 2023 Gulf of Alaska find is dead tissue from the base of the giant anemone Relicanthus daphneae at about 3,250 meters depth.
- An initial quick DNA test was muddied by stray microbes on the sample, so scientists turned to whole‑genome and mitochondrial sequencing to pin the ID to a Relicanthus reference genome.
- Microscope work found layers packed with stinging cells called spirocysts that occur in reef animals like corals and anemones, guiding the genetic search.
- A look at a similar specimen collected in 2021 on Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor showed matching stinging cells and near‑identical mitochondrial DNA, strengthening the case.
- The orb was a small golden mound about four inches wide stuck to rock, and its parent anemone’s body was gone for unknown reasons, with NOAA using the case to highlight new dives in May and a public webinar on April 30.